By the Shadows of the Stars
by Astranasca
Summary: When the Forsaken, the last of the undead, come to ask acceptance into the Horde, Shadowstar has her suspisions. After she follows the envoy back to the Undead's base camp, she learns a terrible secret, and then must fight for her life to save the Horde.


By the Shadows of the Stars  
  
Shadowstar is part of a pack of wolves that the orcs raise as mounts. She is Thrall's scout and companion, replacing Snowsong from Lord of the Clans.  
  
Strong, guttural voices rose in argument as the wolf, Shadowstar, quietly watched the orcs and tauren. She sat on her haunches near the back wall, under the proud banner of the Horde. An envoy from the undead had just come, asking for admittance into the Horde's ranks. According to the envoy, the undead, now called the Forsaken, had no more intentions of domination, and they wished to cooperate.  
At the table the council of shamans was debating heatedly, except for the Warchief, Thrall, who was slumped in his chair, watching the argument tiredly. This must be hard for him; he already has enough to worry about with the humans suddenly attacking. Shadowstar thought as her tail curled around her forepaws. I don't trust the Forsaken, but others are convinced we need more allies. She sighed and slid into a recumbent position on the floor. Thrall's blue eyes flicked sideways towards her as she laid her head on her forepaws. He watched her solemnly before turning his attention back to the argument, which seemed to be coming to a conclusion.  
Shadowstar jolted onto her feet as the shamans fell silent. One old orc clad in a wolf skin rose. He calmly stated, "We have agreed. We advise you to accept the Forsaken into our ranks." He then continued on to list his reasons. Shadowstar's legs locked as her hackles rose stiffly in anger. We can't do this! She cried to herself as she watched the shaman's one- tusked mouth disbelievingly. We need to survey them first; they are known for trickery! They could be leading us into a trap! She watched as Thrall closed the meeting and turned to whisper with the tauren leader Cairne Bloodhoof.  
We need to send a spy after the envoy, but who? Tauren are too slow, orcs are too big.... she wrestled with herself. I'm needed here, but...I'm going. That's final. Shadowstar leapt onto the table, and turned to face the leaders. Both Thrall and Cairne stopped talking, and regarded her with surprise.  
She opened her mind to the two shamans, who were in-tune with animals', such as herself, mind voices. "I believe that the Forsaken should not be trusted, at least not yet. We have no idea of their sincerity, and they are known for trickery. They fought against us at Mt. Hyjal because they wanted to annihilate us!" She said stubbornly as she looked from one leader to the other. "And I want permission to spy on them to find out their motives."  
"Stubborn Shadowstar," Thrall sighed and shook his head, "If you would do that, I'd be forever grateful, but, don't kill yourself to find out." His worried blue eyes looked deep into her calm green ones.  
"I won't," She smiled, "I won't make you live with the guilt. I'll be careful." She nodded once and ran down the table, and out the door.  
"She's brave," Cairne rumbled knowingly, "but not stupid. She'll be fine."  
  
The wind whistled through her thick black fur as she crept through the forest after the envoy. He had a black cloak on, probably to be harder to follow, but that didn't even start to lose Shadowstar, whose superior night vision worked best when the moon was gone. Slow, slow, slow. Why did he have to put on that long cloak? She thought as she was forced to stop again in the shadows as the envoy stumbled into another thorn bush. She sighed mentally as the envoy struggled with the bush. This journey shouldn't take this long! If he hadn't been walking blindly into bushes, then we would be able to make at least double this time! I do hope we are almost there. I don't know how much more of this I can stand!  
Slowly the envoy made his way through the forest, slowly Shadowstar followed, always staying concealed in the shadows. Finally, they came to the edge of the forest, and Shadowstar found herself atop a steep hill, that sloped gently down to the beach. The waves reflected the starlight as they crashed onto the sand. Huh, I didn't know we came far enough to hit the ocean. She thought as she watched the envoy continue down the hill, carefully avoiding the low, scraggly brush. This is going to be harder, she hissed as she crouched and slowly rippled forward like water towards the nearest bush. She paused and listened, but she couldn't hear over the waves, so she peeked cautiously around the brush. The envoy was following the beach line, staying on the grass. Shadowstar winced as her clammy, soaked belly fur clung damply to her, but she didn't dare lift herself any higher off the ground. The sun's rising, she noticed as she crept behind another bush. If he's still walking when the sun comes up, then I won't be able to follow him without really risking being seen, unless we hit denser undergrowth. Her brow creased in worry as she kept stealthily following him. The land began sloping upwards fairly steeply, and soon Shadowstar saw a ship's mast. Oh no, she thought as she peered down into a hidden cove, where a transport ship and three warships were concealed. The envoy was traveling along the rim of the cliff, but, to Shadowstar's relief, didn't descend into the cove; he peeled off and re-entered the forest. Oh, good. She thought with rising spirits as she slipped like a wraith into the forest. If he had boarded one of the ships, then I don't know what I would've done! The envoy hurried through the woods, and soon Shadowstar could smell decaying flesh, fire, and the stench of death that she had noticed on the envoy, only now it was stronger. She slowed even more, and soon heard the envoy stop, and saw him talking to a gigantic lopsided abomination. She stopped and strained her ears as the abomination growled and swung its bloodied chain. "...out for today. She be back at nightfall." It said stupidly as it eyed the envoy with one black beady eye. "Then I'll wait in my tent. You'll tell the Lady that when she comes?" The envoy sounded impatient. "Yeahg, me tell." It drooled as its eyes crossed. The envoy walked away disgustedly, off towards a small black tent. Shadowstar crept out of sight of the guards and surveyed the clearing where the Forsaken had set up their camp. There were three tents set up, the envoy's, and two others. One was much bigger than the others, and had a bloody sign painted onto the side. It seemed to be the Lady Sylvanas's tent. So the meeting with the envoy, and any discussions I should overhear, will be in that tent. Shadowstar mused as she slipped around to the side of the forest closest to the tent. The back was facing her. I could creep up and hide in the shadows next to it after night falls, but before Sylvanas comes back. They'll probably be on alert to incomers once she's in camp. But, for now... she sighed as she settled herself inside a hollow log, within hearing distance of the camp ...its nap time. Shadowstar drifted into a strange half-sleep; a sleep where she would wake if someone came near, but still recover her lost energy.  
Shadowstar woke to light footsteps and voices. She froze, every nerve on edge as black boots strode past, followed by the edge of a cloak. They were followed by another pair of red-armored hoofs. Ah, the boots are Sylvanas's, and I recognize those hoofs.... It must be a dreadlord.... I though the envoy said that there were no more.... she brooded until the sound died away. She poked her head out cautiously, rotating her ears like a cat, but didn't find any threats near her. Slowly, she slunk out of the log, careful not to disturb any leaves or twigs, and made her way towards Sylvanas's tent. Sun's going down. I slept too long...hopefully I'll still be able to overhear them. She paused in the shadows, and looked for the guards. There was the abomination from earlier, on the opposite side of the clearing, and another a ways away to her right. If I'm careful, then I should be able to slip in and out. She snuck into the clearing and flattened herself against the ground right next to the tent wall, behind a stack of small crates. Hopefully I look like a pile of furs or something. A fire flared suddenly inside the tent, and the silhouettes of a dreadlord and Sylvanas were faintly visible. Shadowstar flicked her ears towards them and listened while eyeing her surroundings warily. "...get the envoy." Sylvanas's voice sent a chill up Shadowstar's spine. It was hollow, and echoed deadly as she spoke. "Milady," the envoy's shadow bowed and joined the others. "Report." Sylvannas snapped sharply. "The orcs have accepted us, milady. They believe that we want to be part of their Horde." "No suspicions?" "After they debated it, I couldn't find any." "Good. Those softhearted fools won't know what hit them. Varimathras?" "Yes," The dreadlord growled. Sylvannas's head turned sharply, and the dreadlord added, "Milady." "Go back to the Undercity, and bring the rest of the Forsaken army and navy. Take a couple abominations and crypt fiends with you. I'll lead the rest to Orgrimmar, and start the operation. Orgrimmar must fall with all its beastly inha-" A thick guttural cry cut Sylvannas off, and Shadowstar froze with fear. Out of the darkness charged an abomination, straight at the wolf. By all the spirits! She swore as she recovered from her immobilizing fear. She dodged under its butcher knife and leapt over its hooked chain. Stupid wolf! I let my guard down, but at least I have sufficient proof for Thrall. She dashed through bushes, and shot through clearings; she didn't try to disguise her passage, that would only slow her down. Behind her the abomination's crashing footfalls were falling farther and farther behind, but they were joined by scuttling crypt fiends and quick-footed ghouls. "GET IT!" Sylvanas screeched into the night. Fear thrilled through her body as the ghouls slowly gained on her. The others were too slow, luckily. Shadowstar ran faster, but the ghouls were still keeping up. Ok, I have to loose them or kill them. Water won't help; I'll splash or go too slow. She abruptly turned and charged back the way she came. One ghoul went flying over her, but the other wasn't going to miss. She swiped its head, batted aside its outreached claws, and snapped its neck. It fell dead to the ground, never to rise again. Shadowstar flipped nimbly around and crashed into the other ghoul. She choked back a cry as its claws dug into her shoulder, and countered by digging her claws into its fleshy sides, and snapping its spinal cord in her powerful jaws. Suddenly red flooded her vision as a fiend's claws scratched her lower back. She leapt out of the fiend's range, turned and pounced onto its abdomen. The force of her landing, along with her claws, was able to tear right into it. The spider-like fiend screeched in agony as it flailed desperately. Shadowstar vaulted off its back and dashed towards the river as she heard the abominations closing in. She splashed into the river and ran upstream, staying in the shallows. Her shoulder throbbed painfully, and she began to limp slightly. Ugh, that hurts, and I can't clean it. She thought sourly. This must be the river that flows past Orgrimmar. The orcs and tauren can defend against these few troops; I think I can make a beeline for the city. She followed the river's twists and turns, taking precaution not to drip blood or touch dry rock. Soon the other fiends' scuttling and the abominations' thumping died down, but Shadowstar didn't dare rest; her message was too valuable for her to risk being caught or silenced. She ran on, following the river, until the sky began to lighten in the east. Soon before sunrise, she hit the Barrens, and stopped to drink and rest awhile. Her energy was slowly being drained, through the fleeing and the wound. Come on, you can make it, she encouraged herself as she watched the sun rise, and saw Ogrimmar silhouetted against the colored sky. Not far now.... Shadowstar tiredly dragged herself to her feet, and trotted towards home. As she went, she felt her energy diminishing, and broke into a fearful run. The city neared quickly as her head lightened from loss of blood.  
Atop the newly finished wall, Thrall looked over the Barrens, towards the sunrise-painted sea. Worry creased his brow as he rubbed his eyes tiredly. If he had looked towards the river, he would've seen a slowly moving creature approaching, one that he would recognize. Shadowstar lifted her head exhaustedly as she spotted her friend. Her victory howl echoed in the still dew-laden air as she limped towards the gates. Slowly, they grated open and she looked up into Cairne's grandfatherly face. "Shadowstar, you little demon, you've been killing Thrall with worry. "He chastised her severely, but the ghost of a smile in his eyes told her that he had been worrying too. "And I see I've been killing you too!" she grinned up at him. She noticed Thrall come near and added, "You old leaders worry too much." "So we do, do we? Maybe so, but I'm still insisting you see Derk'thar with that wound. And I'll have you locked in bed for the next couple days until you heal properly!" Thrall smiled as he knelt down beside her. "But, what about my report? Don't you want that?" she sputtered. "Later, once you're stitched up and full. "Thrall said as he lifted her up. "Hey! I can walk!" she protested as he carried her to the Derk'thar's burrow. "Of course you can, old friend, but you'll exhaust yourself doing so." Thrall laughed. Shadowstar nipped his ear playfully as she reported, "The Forsaken were plotting to weaken us from inside, and then invade with their armies. They also lied to us. At least one dreadlord is still among them. They still are the same evil, bloodthirsty killers as before." "Ah.... Then I'll assign more guards, and make sure the workers have their weapons near them. Hopefully, the walls will be finished and reinforced before they come, and we'll always have brave warriors to defend it." Thrall growled, and, after a moment of silence, added softly, "Thanks, Shadowstar, you just saved all the orcs and tauren in this keep from a black end." "Yes, I have to throw my thanks in too." Cairne rumbled gently. "It's all for my friends." Shadowstar smiled as her head drooped, "But, spirits, I am wiped out." 


End file.
